LOCATION DETAILS: On the highway between Westlock and Slave Lake.It was close to the Saulteaux river crossing.

NEAREST TOWN: Slave Lake Alberta

NEAREST ROAD: Provincial Highway 2

OBSERVED: I was driving alone from my parents house in Gibbons, Alberta going home to Slave Lake,Alberta. I was a meteorological technician at the time. I was going down to the Saulteaux river crossing and spotted a large animal up ahead on the side of the highway standing on the snow ridge. It then ran through the snow on two legs,at great speed diagonally in the opposite direction i was going, to the edge of the forest,stopped, turned around and stared at me. I was stopped by this time and had a great look. It was about 11;00 P.M. and the sky was clear with almost a full mooon shining. It was very tall,about 8 feet and was covered in dark fur, maybe a dark reddish brown. It's face was bare of fur and it had a lion like mane. I was terrified at this point and took off.

ALSO NOTICED: I was going to go back and check for footprints the nest day but it snowed about 3 to 4 inches.

OTHER WITNESSES: I was alone.

OTHER STORIES: No.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was about 23;00 hours, a clear night with almost a full moon shining.

ENVIRONMENT: Close to the highway about 1/4 mile before a bridge over the Saulteaux River. The forest is mixed boreal with trees up to 125 feet high.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Blaine McMillan :

I spoke to the witness (DT) at length by phone and despite the fact that the incident had taken place 30 years ago he was able to recall the details with surprising clarity.

He had been enroute to his home in Slave Lake, Alberta in February,1976. The weather was clear and cold, about -20C. The moon was full or near full and it provided ample light.

As he approached the bridge over the Saulteaux River he saw an upright creature running at a 45 degree angle from the right hand edge of the road toward the tree line that was some 40 metres away. He estimated that it stood close to 8 feet in height. Its arms appeared to be long and it swung them in an exaggerated fashion as it moved. He said the creature covered that distance in less than 10 seconds in snow that was three feet deep. When it had reached the safety of the tree line it stopped and turned to look towards him. At this point he notice that it had a conical head, and what appeared to be bare face.